Should iPods Be Banned at Crosswalks?
Thu Feb 8, 2007 3:43AM EST
See Comments (16)
Some truly nutty, Footloose-worthy legislation attempts are under foot: According to BetaNews, New York State Senator Carl Kruger is trying to push through a law that would subject pedestrians to a $100 fine for crossing the street with their iPods on. Apparently three pedestrians have been killed in the last year in N.Y. State Senator Carl Kruger's home district.
Okay, I'll admit that I have almost been hit by a car at least a couple of times while crossing the street with my iPod at full blast (not to mention my portable CD player and cassette-tape Walkman before that). But those close encounters with car contact taught me a lesson: Look both ways before you cross the street, just like Mom said. Or put warnings on the iPod boxes (I think some audio player and headphone models already have this).
Making it against the law to wear your Walkman seems like a waste of taxpayer money, not to mention a buzz-kill right out of Footloose (the movie is set in a town where dancing was against the law). I mean, how would you even check if someone had their music on or off? What a hassle it'll be if complying with the law means taking your headphones off every single time you cross the street.
This may not be an issue for most Americans, who usually drive everywhere, but for anyone in a small town or walkable big city, this could be a bummer. I mean, why should I have to shut off my iPod when it's perfectly legal for packs of smokers to exhale cancer-causing fumes in my face every time I walk by a bar? Work on that annoying byproduct of the anti-smoking movement before you take my iPod away.
What do you think: Should iPods be banned at crosswalks?
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7 Posted by leethet2004 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:48PM EDT Report Abuse
heck no that's rediculous
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8 Posted by marmasu1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:08PM EDT Report Abuse
WHAT IS MEANT BY A COLD FEED INTERFACE? HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM OTHER INTERFACES?
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9 Posted by jcsmlord on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:31PM EDT Report Abuse
It's the most ridiculous idea that I've ever heard. Banning people from using their iPods? obviously the State Senator doesn't walk around Manhattan too often. Music is a stress releaver for most people, I know at least it is for me.
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10 Posted by magicalphoenix2004 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:03PM EDT Report Abuse
3 people huh? I just says the were hit while walking... we're they listening t music? and if you in a big, walking city (such as NYC)There are already many other noises to get your attention ... So if they want to go through this properly ban noise...And it's only 3.. Well ok that sounded mean but it's not that I don't feel bad it's just back to the smoking thing... How many people die each year from lung cancer after smoking all their lives? Yeah I haven't seen any laws banning smoking.. And you're correct any music device I've ever bought has a warning and for that matter tells you how loud you should turn it up to at the max(even though the device usually goes much louder which never made sense to me). Anyhoo this is stupid and a complete waste of time and money (which I know the people actually care about).
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11 Posted by archangel2287 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:57PM EDT Report Abuse
i dont mean to repeat the same sentiments, so i'll just start by saying i agree with most of you; it IS about common sense. Why aren't people looking both ways before crossing, even INSIDE a crosswalk - I do it all the time (I'm a college student in AZ). And what's funny is that I have NEVER EVER been able to listen to any portable music device at max volume for as long as I've been listening to music. So why the hell would you listen to it that loud WHILE crossing the street? I have to say that comment about natural selection was pretty accurate...survival of the fittest...
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12 Posted by mlb278 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:23PM EDT Report Abuse
"I mean, why should I have to shut off my iPod when it's perfectly legal for packs of smokers to exhale cancer-causing fumes in my face every time I walk by a bar?" That is another law that isn't right in New York. Here in California smoking in bars isn't allowed..
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13 Posted by josiahb217 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:41PM EDT Report Abuse
As much as I love listening to my Ipod, I have to admit that this is such a great idea. With mp3 players becoming more popular, it can get dangerous if nobody is listening to the outside noise while crossing the street. I think the fine should be more like $50 though. If this doesn't pass, we really won't need car horns anymore,lol.
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14 Posted by paatnoah88 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:48PM EDT Report Abuse
Yeah it can get a bit dangerous crossing streets with earphones on. I never had a close call before but I learned to take my earphones out/pause the song I'm listening too whenever I cross a street. Even if some of these accidents are caused by morons who don't look both ways before they cross, I think it would be better to put some kind of law concerning the use of mp3s,walkmans, or anything that uses earphones on crosswalks.
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15 Posted by zbaldo on Thu Sep 3, 2009 11:00PM EDT Report Abuse
Survival of the fittest truly if u can't look both ways while crossin the street then you shouldn't be agreeing with the senator on the three of them i bet it was some of the drivers fault too We really would sorta be better off than those three people that got runover and you should also be lookin to see if it is your turn to walk anyways
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16 Posted by liz76021 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:54PM EDT Report Abuse
Well, common sense is what schools apparently NEVER teach people to utilize these days. You don't just step out into traffic without checking to see if some car is coming, and you definitely wouldn't do that if you had your earphones on at full blast either. I think there are far more serious things to complain about.
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6 Posted by f_l_dyke on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:05PM EDT Report Abuse
How do morons like this get elected anyway? This proposed legislation is what happens when people give legislators power to pass laws that are "for our own good." E.g: Social Security, minimum liability insurance requirements, gun laws, most every piece of leglation that has passed through the gilded halls of our governments offices. I wonder when people will get a clue.